Improvement in the manufactube of gas



@citt gratas getint ffice.

JOHN T. RICH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. Letters .Patent No. -67,217, dated July 30, 1867; anredated .March 25, 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFAGTURE 0F GAS.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN Be it known that I, JOHN T. RICH, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia, vnnia, have invented a new and yuseiul Improvement in the Mode of Manufacturing Illuminating or Heating Gas; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, und exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which I Figure 1 is a. plan, and

Figure 2 a front elevation.

In the different figures I use the same letters in indicating identical parts.

X is a furnace, of brick or other suitable material, supporting the boilers, rctorts, &c., and having firegrates suitably arranged. A is a steam-boiler, for generating steam from water which passes through the steam pipe C. In this pipe is inserted the coil F, which is placed within the furnace, and exposed to the direct action of the fire. B is a bolcror reservoir, filled, or partly filled, with petroleum or other hydrocarbon, to which heat may be applied when rosin or other solid substances are used. Into this reservoir the steam pipe is conducted, forcing the liquid through the pipe D, which passes below its surface.

The pipe D leads into tbe steam pipe C, which, beyond the point of junction,

terminates with an orifice having a. conical ajutage, through which the mingled steam and fluid are violently forced, the iluid being by this means broken into a fine' spray, and in this form delivered into the retort G. The pipe z is carried from the steam pipe C, and terminates, like the pipe C, in a narrow orifice within the Haring funnel-formed mouth a of the pipe 6,'leading into the condenser K. Over the mouth tt is placed a. register, by which the flow of atmospheric air into the mouth `is regulated.

The current of steam passing through the mouth a into thepipe b will carry with it a considerable quantity of atmospheric air, which may be increased to nearly double the volume ofthe steam. The relative proportion of steam and air may be yet further increased as to the quantity oi' air by forminga series ofcoucentrie funnels, all open in front, and all conducting into the pipe 6I The current passing through the contracted ends of these successive funnels will at each receive an increased flow et' air. I have only shown one funnel, as this, for ordinary purposes, is suHiCient. The mingled steam and atmospheric air thus are carried into'the condenser K, where the steam is condensed. i atmosphere, and the' purified atmospheric air passes through the pipe g, and, uniting in the pipe e with the steam and uid spray, is introduced into the retort G, and subjected to about a dull red heat, by which a chemical union is e'ected by the decomposition of the hydrocarbon, forming' carburettcd hydrogen gas, with which the oxygen of the atmosphere unites, forming a permanent illuminating gas of greatpurity. The mingling of air with the carburetted hydrogen may take place either before or after the decomposition of the hydrocarbon in the retort G. i I l In manufacturing illuminating 4gas I make about eight hundred cubic feet of leum, mixing the carburetted hydrogen gas with about four times making a heating gas -for use in furnaces, twenty to fifty volumes. be increased.

I is a pressure-gauge for determining the amount the pressure will be the same.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is y I. The process for preparing atmospheric air for chemical union with decomposed hydrocarbon for the purpose of forming a permanent heating or illuminating gas, substantially in thc manner sot forth.

2. The combination ofthe steam pipe z, funnel-formed mouth a ot' the pipe L, and condenser K, said parts being constructed and arranged substantially as sot forth.

3. Mixing a purified product of atmospheric air with hydrocarbon gas for dilution, either before or after decomposition of the Huid or other hydrocarbon, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this specification in the presence of tworsubscribing witnesses.

JOHN T. RICH.

gas from one gallon of petroits volumeof the atmospheric product. In &c., Iincrease the proportion of the atmospheric product to from With the increase of atmospheric air the orifice at the point of combustion must also of pressure on` the boiler A and reservoir B, in which Witnesses:

JOHN CLOUD, W. P. HEBLIND.

and State of Pcnnsyl- This condensation carries with it the carbonio acid gas, mingled with the 

